Northern Michigan University, located in Marquette, Michigan, is a dynamic four-year, public, comprehensive university that has grown its reputation based on its award-winning leadership programs, cutting-edge technology initiatives and nationally recognized academic programs. Northern has a population of about 9,000 undergraduate and graduate students.

Ask a few Northern students what drew them to our university and you will get a variety of answers. That's because there is no single thing that make students want to go to Northern; it is ALL the things that we do here. Northern is big enough to offer a wide variety of academic programs but is also small enough that every time you walk across campus, you'll probably wave "hi" to someone you know.

Curiosity is the raw ingredient of knowledge. It causes us to ask questions, to seek answers, to learn. At Northern Michigan University, natural curiosity and intellectual challenge meet in stimulating classes grounded in the liberal arts. So wherever your curiosity leads you, you can count on the support you need to take the next step, ask the next question, propose the next hypothesis.

The mission of the Northern Michigan University Department of Intercollegiate Athletics, Recreational Sports and the United States Olympic Training Site is to create an environment that promotes academic excellence, interpersonal growth and social development; embraces diversity; teaches lifetime leisure skills; fosters spirit and tradition; and builds a lifelong connection to NMU.

Yes, you'll attend your classes, but what else will you be doing as a student at Northern? There's so much stuff to choose from. There's a student organization or club – almost 300 at last count-- for just about every interest. If you're into investigating the paranormal, anime or improv comedy, there's a group. Cheer on your fellow Wildcats at a hockey game or volleyball match. Join a competitive club sport or an intramural team. The sky is the limit.

Under-Assigned Rooms

At various times during the academic year, a student may find themselves in an under-assigned room. In brief, an under-assigned room is a double room in which only one person is living. For example, Mary and Jill start out living together in a double room, but then Mary moves to a different room. Jill is now in an under-assigned room. In this example, Jill now has a choice to make.

The Residence Hall Contract

If a student finds is in an under-assigned room, it's important to review what the residence hall contract states. In summary:

That a student may be assigned to a two-person room or efficiency apartment without a roommate and that if this occurs, the student will be charged the two-person room or efficiency apartment rate.

The Housing and Residence Life Office reserves the right to assign a second student to those rooms that are under-assigned rooms or apartments until such time that they are changed to single occupancy at the request of the student and approval of the Housing and Residence Life Office.

Students in under-assigned rooms or efficiency apartments will be expected to properly clean and make one-half of their room or apartment available for a second person with reasonable notice (usually 24 hours) or at the end of the semester.

If a student does not do this and/or refuses to accept an assigned roommate to include making the assigned roommate feel welcome, the University may, at its discretion, require the student to move to another room or efficiency apartment or to reimburse the University for room rent payments lost as a result of their actions or inaction. (As an alternative, the Housing and Residence Life Office may choose to charge the student with an Improper Room Readiness Fee of $250 plus the premium room rate for a single room.)

The Process

Once it's been determined that an individual is living in an under-assigned room, that person will receive an email from staff in the Housing and Residence Life Office that outlines their options. Residence Life staff (the Resident Adviser or Resident Director) in that person's hall then contacts the individual to discuss what the person would like to do. After meeting with their RD and reviewing the Under-Assigned Room Option Form, the person in an under-assigned room typically has five (5) days to indicate which option they have chosen.

Options

If a student is in an under-assigned room, there are four options from which to choose. The residence life staff in the student's hall will review these options with the student.

Option 1

Find a new roommate to move into the room. Once a student chooses this option, the new roommate typically has five (5) calendar days to move into the room. Resident Directors are often very helpful in identifying possible roommates.

Option 2

The student in the under-assigned room may move into a different room in their hall or a different hall to be with a roommate of their choice. If this choice is selected, the person in the under-assigned room typically has five (5) calendar days in which to move.

Option 3

The student in an under-assigned room may request to guarantee the single room for the remainder of the semester. If the person chooses to request the room as a single, their Resident Director will calculate the prorated rate for the single room for the remainder of the semester. Note that in some circumstances Housing and Residence Life may assign a new roommate at the beginning of the winter semester to someone who has requested to keep their under-assigned room as a single during the fall semester. If this is the case, Housing and Residence Life staff will inform the student in the under-assigned room of their new roommate before the end of the fall semester.

Option 4

The student in the under-assigned room may choose to remain in the room and continue to pay the two-person room rate. If this option is chosen, the student in the under-assigned room understands that the University may move another student into their room at any time.

Questions

Questions regarding the under-assigned room process should be referred to the Resident Director in the hall in which the student lives. Questions may also be addressed to Housing and Residence Life at (906) 227-2620 or housing@nmu.edu.